Bill McCartney and his Promise Keepers were
embraced by the Denver Catholic Archdiocese Monday night at a gathering
of more than 250 men, and a handful of women, at the John Paul II Center
in south Denver.
In his first address to a group of Catholic
men, McCartney - former football coach at the University of Colorado and
founder of the Denver-based evangelical Christian men's organization -
told the gathering that one of the great things about sports is that if
you love sports, it doesn't make any difference what denomination you are,
"they'll let you in."
"It has become clear to me what God has in
mind" for Promise Keepers, McCartney said.
The answer, he said, was found in the Sermon
on the Mount: "Blessed are the peacekeepers, for they are the sons of God."
A peace-maker is one who brings warring factions together, he said.
The reason there isn't a Catholic men's group
filling stadiums around the country "is because God wants us together,"
he suggested.
Archbishop Charles Chaput, who embraced McCartney
as he came off the stage, had said in an interview before McCartney's talk
that he viewed Promise Keepers as another evangelical movement trying to
bring people closer to Christ, and it should be encouraged.
Chaput said he wouldn't put out an appeal
for Catholic parishes to answer Promise Keepers' call for every church
in the country to contribute $1,000 toward its operation, in light of its
decision to stop charging men to attend its conferences.
"But I wouldn't discourage it," the archbishop
said.
He said he will let individual pastors decide.
It might be appropriate for a parish with several Promise Keepers members
to make such a contribution, he said.
In his talk, McCartney said Promise Keepers
has set Jan. l, 2000, as the date for "men of God...across the United States
to stand up for Jesus Christ."
He said he envisions 650,000 men in every
state capitol gathering at the same time.
Christopher West, director of the archdiocesan
office of marriage and family life, said the archdiocese had expected a
turnout of about 100, and was overwelmed by the response.